Metal spoked wheel



METAL S POKED WHEEL Filed Dec. 21, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR (Io/ 1 T TruWb/e ATTORNEYS y 16, 1939- J. T. TRUM BLE 2,158,709

' METAL SPOKED WHEEL Filed Dec. 21, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTCR ATTO RN EYS May 16, 1939. J TRUMBLE 2,158,709

METAL SPOKED WHEEL Filed Dec. 21, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR (Jo/ T. T y/ ,516

ATTO RNEYS Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to metal wheels, and more particularly to a spoked motor vehicle wheel in which the spokes are of tubular metal and formed to have the appearance of ordinary wood 5 spokes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a construction which is such as to facilitate and cheapen manufacture, and whereby a very strong, rigid all metal spoked wheel is secured,

in the spokes of which have the appearance of wood spokes, are tubular and light in weight, and are integrally formed with a connecting ring member, giving great strength and durability.

Other objects and advantages of the present is invention will become apparent by referring to the following description and all as more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

20 Figure 1 is a detail view showing a portion, in side elevation, of a wheel illustrative of an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section upon the line 2-4 of Figure l;

Fig. 3 is a detail showing in plan View, a portion of a metal strip formed with spoke members;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of Figure 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation partly in longitudinal to section, of Figure 3;

Fig. 6 is a view in partial side elevation, of the strip shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 and after the same has been coiled into ring form;

Fig. 7 is illustrative of a modification and show- 35 ing a transverse section through a spoke formation on a pair of strips with the strips separated;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the strips having spoke formations shown in Figure 7;

Fig. 9 is a partial side elevation of a wheel illus- 40 trative of a further modified construction; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view substantially upon the line II0 of Figure 9.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, the wheel embodying the present inven- 45 tion, comprises an ordinary form of wire wheel hub construction, said construction including the usual hub ring or hub attaching flange l formed with a series of holes 2 to receive bolts for securing this ring to the usual hub (not shown) 50 mounted upon the vehicle axle, and this ring is formed with the usual outstanding peripheral flange 3 having its peripheral edge portion turned laterally. A hub shell member 4 is mounted upon the ring member I in the usual manner and is 55 formed with the usual outstanding flange opposite to and spaced from the flange 3 with its peripheral edge portion turned laterally to extend in a direction opposite to that of the edge portion of said flange 3.

Mounted upon the flanges 3 and 5 in a manner 5 hereinafter described, is the spoked portion of the wheel or spoke spider embodying the present invention, said portion consisting of a flat strip 5 (see Figs. 3, 4 and 5) of sheet metal of the proper thickness and ductility, so that it may be formed by means of a suitable punch and die, or other means, with a series of spaced hollow projections 1, by forcing or drawing the metal of the strip laterally. These hollow protuberances form the spokes of the assembled wheel and are so shaped 153 in contour, size and exterior form as to simulate the appearance of the short wood spokes commonly employed in wheels of this type.

This strip 6 after being formed with the several spoke members 1, is coiled into a ring and the '6 abutting ends of the strip are welded together as shown at 8 in Figure 6, thus making a ring of a diameter to fit closely over and of a width to extend across the peripheries of the flanges 3 and 5 of the hub portion of the wheel, spanning the space between these flanges. This formed spoke ring may be secured in place upon said flanges,

by turning the edge portions of the strip inwardly and beneath the laterally turned edge portions of said flanges, as shown at 9 in Figure 2, and welded, or otherwise firmly united thereto. The spoke ring with its radially extending spoke formations may be thus firmly and permanently mounted upon the hub structure, adding great strength and rigidity thereto.

The wheel is completed by mounting upon the outer ends of the several spoke members 1, a tire carrying rim ID of any desired form, the one shown in Figure 2 being an ordinary dropcenter rim having the usual side flanges to engage and hold a tire mounted thereon, and this rim is permanently and rigidly secured to the several spokes by providing an opening in the bottom wall ll of the rim channel or drop-center channel, opposite the end wall I2 of each spoke and then by means of a suitable tool, forcing the central portion of this wall l2 outwardly through the opening in the rim wall, and then compressing or forming down this projection l3, thus formed, into close contact with and over the edge of the 5 opening in the rim, the spoke formation permitting of such attachment of the rim to the outer ends of the spokes before the ring having these integral spokes, is attached to the hub structure, as previously described, and thisis due to the fact that the spokes are hollow and the tool for forming the projections 13 may be inserted through the open inner end of each spoke.

Instead of forming the spoke ring from a single strip of metal as shown in Figure 3, it may be formed from two like parallel strips as shown in Figures 7 and 8, these two strips l4 and I5 having their adjacent edges meeting along the center line of the ring which is formed after the punching up of a series of spoke halves along the adjacent edges of the two strips and then uniting the adjacent edges of the two strips by welding, and also uniting, in a like manner, the opposed edges l6 of the side walls and of the end wall I! of the spoke halves. This form of spoke ring may be found to be more easily formed with the spoke formations, than the ring which is formed from a single strip.

The construction shown in Figures 9 and 10, is a further modification of the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2, in that the separately formed spoked ring member, is dispensed with and the several spokes [8 are formed integral with the tire carrying rim l 9. These spoke members I8 are formed by drawing them, by means of a suitable die and punch, outwardly from the bottom wall 20 of the rim channel prior to coiling the rim into a ring, these hollow projections thus formed, extending radially inward of the wheel in the assembly, and being secured to the hub structure, by securing the inner end of each of these members between outwardly extending parallel flanges 2| on the hub structure, by means of bolts 22 passing through said flanges and through the opposite side walls of these hollow spokes near their closed ends; and to close the outer open ends of these spokes where they open into the central channel of the tire rim, a plate or strip 24 is laid within the rim channel over the open end of each spoke and is secured therein at its edges in any suitable manner.

A very simple, strong and rigid construction, having a minimum number of parts, is thus secured, and the tire rim is rigidly supported and strengthened by the spoke members formed integrally therewith, they being strengthened and reinforced at their inner ends where attached to the hub structure, by being formed at said ends, to seat, as at 23, directly upon the supporting wall of the hub structure between the two parallel flanges 2| of said structure.

This modified form of wheel, because of its construction, is very light in weight as compared to its load carrying capacity, making it especially adapted for use upon vehicles carrying heavy loads such as trucks, and the form shown in Figures 1 and 2 provides an all metal wheel which, when assembled exactly resembles a wood spoked wheel but is much stronger, is light in weight, and effects great economy in material and manufacture.

Obviously other changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims, and such changes are contemplated.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A vehicle wheel including in combination: a unitary sheet metal spoke spider comprising a one piece annular ring having a plurality of integral spokes projecting radially therefrom intermediate the edges thereof, integral flanges formed at the edges of said ring, a radially extending hub attaching flange secured to one of said flanged edges, and an axially extending hub shell secured to the other flanged edge.

2. A wheel member for mounting on a wheel hub and constituting an article of manufacture constructed from a single piece of sheet metal, comprising a plurality of seamless hollow spokes, a central annularly extending portion of hollow construction connecting the inner ends of the spokes, with the interior of the central portion in communication with the interior of the spokes, and integral seamless walls over the outer ends of the spokes, the outer ends of the spokes being free of any bridging connection between them so that they project radially from the central portion in separated and spaced relation.

3. An article of the character described, comprising a sheet metal wheel member, said member having a cylindrical hub shell engaging portion, and spokes, said spokes extending radially outward from said hub shell engaging portion, and the roots of said spokes being closely adjacent the hub shell engaging portion and merging therewith, said spokes being provided with rim engaging portions, said hub shell engaging portion, rim engaging portion and spokes being integral one with the other and said hub shell engaging portion including spaced parallel edges.

JOHN T. TRUMBLE. 

